Platinum selling and GRAMMY Award winning artist Casting Crowns is once again tapped as a “Favorite Artist” nominee for the “American Music Awards” in the Contemporary Inspirational category, as announced today at a press conference in Beverly Hills. Winners will be announced Live during a three-hour prime-time special on the ABC Television Network on Tuesday, November 21 at 8:00 PM ET/PT from inside the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, CA. This is the band’s second consecutive nomination for an AMA.

The “2006 AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS” presentations ceremony is produced by dick clark productions, inc. Twenty awards will be given out representing the best of Pop/Rock, Country, Soul/Rhythm & Blues, Rap/Hip Hop, Latin, Alternative, Adult Contemporary and Contemporary Inspirational music.

Winners of the “American Music Awards” are selected by the public. A national sampling of approximately 20,000 taking into account geographic location, age, sex and ethnic origin, will be sent ballots by the National Family Opinion, Inc. firm under the supervision of Broadcast Research and Consulting, Inc. Names of the nominees on the ballot were compiled from data supplied by the music industry trade publication, Radio & Records and Nielsen Soundscan which tracks retail music sales. Results of the voting, tabulated by the Ernst & Young LLP accounting firm are kept secret until envelopes are opened during the presentation ceremonies.

Executive Producer of the “2006 AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS” is Allen Shapiro. Producer of the television special is Larry Klein, with Louis J. Horvitz directing. Writers will be Barry Adelman and Fred Bronson. Executive in Charge of Production is Bob Bardo. Associate Producer is Don Harary. John Shaffner and Joe Stewart are the Production Designers. Talent Executive is Carla Patterson. Executive in Charge is Fran La Maina.

Platinum-selling and GRAMMY Award winning band Casting Crowns was named Group of the Year for the second consecutive year at the 37th Annual Gospel Music Awards in April. Earlier this year, the band received its first GRAMMY for its sophomore recording, Lifesong. Casting Crowns has been the most played artist on all Christian radio formats combined with five No. 1 radio hits, and the group has sold more than 2.5 million albums to date. Lead singer and songwriter Mark Hall has been a student pastor for 15 years and currently serves on staff at Eagle’s Landing First Baptist Church in Atlanta. Hall released his first national book titled Lifestories: Finding God’s “Voice of Truth” Through Everyday Life on Aug. 29. The book features the real-life stories of the people, events and life experiences that have inspired many of the band’s award-winning songs. For more information, please visit www.CastingCrowns.com or www.reunionrecords.com.